Overview
In recent decades unprecedented changes in the marine environment have impacted the ability of coastal communities to rely on an ocean-based economy. Many of California’s coastal communities that have historically relied on access to fishing, fishing-related businesses, and tourism are now facing economic hardship from the changes.
The Coastal Fishing Communities Project came about in 2016 after a series of discussions between stakeholders and the California Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee (MRC) where concerns about impacts from changing ocean conditions, decreased access to fishing, overall fishery management changes, increased global marketplace competition, aging infrastructure, and changing species diversity were repeatedly highlighted.
Background
In July 2016, the California Fish and Game Commission held an in-depth coastal fishing communities meeting. Open to all interested parties, the meeting was designed to expand initial conversations on the issues facing California’s coastal fishing communities, to provide an opportunity for increased dialogue between stakeholders, and to identify common needs, concerns, and priorities to help inform future commission action.
Subsequently, commission staff hosted seven additional coastal fishing communities meetings from June 2017 to July 2018. The meetings offered an opportunity to build on the previously identified statewide issues by adding site-specific perspectives and drawing directly from the experience and expertise of community members to help generate ideas and potential pathways forward for their communities and the state to help create more resilient coastal fishing communities.
Staff compiled a summary report on the information and key themes heard at the meetings, a draft of which was provided to MRC in July 2018. Materials for each public meeting, as well as the draft staff synthesis report, are linked from this page.
Public Meetings
Public meeting materials are currently under development, and will be posted here soon.
| Date/Location |
Resources |
July 20, 2016
Petaluma, CA |
Coastwide Meeting
 Announcement (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
June 21, 2017
Smith River, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Summary (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
October 11, 2017
Atascadero, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Video
|
October 18, 2017
Ventura, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
November 18, 2017
Monterey, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
December 5, 2017
San Diego, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Audio (PDF)
|
June 1, 2018
El Granada, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
June 27, 2018
Fort Bragg, CA |
Regional Meeting
Flyer (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
Audio (MP3)
|
Additional Documents
Staff Report Synthesizing Key Themes and Initial Recommendations